Bus catches fire in south China; 2 die, 32 injured

Jul. 15, 2014
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by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

BEIJING (AP) - An explosion and fire on a bus in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou killed two people and injured 32 others, China's official news agency reported.

The bus exploded at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday after the packed bus pulled into a stop, the Xinhua News Agency said, adding the blast and flames injured people waiting for the bus. Most of the victims suffered burns and were being treated in hospital, it said. Eight of the injured were in critical condition.

"I heard a bang, and in five minutes, the bus was reduced to a frame," an unnamed passenger who escaped the bus was quoted as saying.

Guangzhou police said on their microblog that they were investigating the cause of the incident, which occurred in the Haizhu district of the city. They said two charred bodies had been found at the scene.

Earlier this month, 32 people were injured in a fire on a bus in eastern China's Hangzhou city after a man on board poured flammable liquid from his backpack and set it alight. Police said the man set the fire to try to gain fame, according to Xinhua.

The incidents come at a time when Chinese authorities are on edge following a series of violent attacks blamed on Muslim extremists, causing them to increase security at airports and train stations, and on buses.

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